James McLennan has been celebrated for his “emotional intensity” (Opera News), "considerable charm," and "strong yet pure tenor," (Toronto Star) in a career encompassing over 25 roles on opera stages across Canada. An alumnus of Toronto's famed Second City improv and comedy training centre, his lovesick protagonists, quirky villains and comical sidekicks have been winning over audiences from coast to coast for more than a decade.

James McLennan's "freely expressive and carefully nuanced singing" (Toronto Star) has also been featured in repeat performances with major Canadian orchestras and musical ensembles.

Recent opera roles include Almaviva (THE BARBER OF SEVILLE) for Edmonton Opera; Tamino (THE MAGIC FLUTE) with the Sudbury Symphony; Caius in FALSTAFF, Goro in MADAMA BUTTERFLY, and Young Bilodeau in the world premiere of LES FELUETTES at Montreal Opera; Spoletta (TOSCA) and Remendado (CARMEN) with Opera Lyra Ottawa; and Brighella (ARIADNE AUF NAXOS) and Goro (MADAMA BUTTERFLY) with Pacific Opera Victoria.

Upcoming season highlights include Pang in TURANDOT with Edmonton Opera, Bardolfo in FALSTAFF at Manitoba Opera, and a return to Pacific Opera Victoria as Young Bilodeau in the acclaimed production of LES FELUETTES (Lilies) by Kevin March and Michel Marc Bouchard.

Past concert highlights include the BACH ST. MATTHEW PASSION (arias) at the Bach Music Festival of Canada, Bach’s ST. JOHN PASSION and MAGNIFICAT with the Grand Philharmonic Choir, Haydn’s DIE SCHÖPFUNG and John Taverner’s REQUIEM with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, ISRAEL IN EGYPT with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and CARMINA BURANA with the Prince George Symphony and Toronto’s VOCA Chorus. Other performances include the Bach MASS IN B MINOR with the Vancouver Bach Choir, Mendelssohn’s ST. PAUL for Toronto’s Pax Christi Chorale, Bach’s MAGNIFICAT with the Toronto Bach Consort and Britten’s COMPANY OF HEAVEN and Haydn’s ST. NICOLAS MASS with Thirteen Strings in Ottawa.

Previous operatic roles include Beppe in PAGLIACCI and Caïus in Falstaff for Hamilton Opera; Borsa in RIGOLETTO with Manitoba Opera; Triquet in EUGENE ONEGIN with Edmonton Opera; the Innkeeper in DER ROSENKAVALIER, Gastone in LA TRAVIATA, Triquet in EUGENE ONEGIN and the Fourth Jew in SALOME for Vancouver Opera; Remendado in CARMEN and Miner/Chester Arthur in THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE for Calgary Opera; Tiberge in LE PORTRAIT DE MANON at the Muskoka Opera Festival; Adam in THE BIRD SELLER, Laczi in DER ZIGEUNERPRIMAS and the title role in CANDIDE for Toronto Operetta Theatre; and Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA with Saskatoon Opera.

An alumnus of the Montreal Opera’s Atelier Lyrique, James McLennan is featured on a Naxos recording of Charpentier’s MESSE DE MINUIT and TE DEUM with Toronto’s Aradia Ensemble. James McLennan holds a degree in French Translation from York University’s Glendon College.